-
![]()
Inside the Politicised World of Hungarian Football
On the 24th of May 2023, the Romanian Cup Final was set to be disputed between current holders Sepsi OSK and Universitatea Cluj. The game ended in a 0-0 draw and extra time was not sufficient to split the two teams. Then in the penalty shootout, Sepsi managed to cling on and reverse their fortunes…
-
![]()
Bulgarian Football’s Harrowing Descent into Corruption and Mediocrity
On July 16th, 1994, 12:30 pm, at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, the third-place playoff game of the World Cup was about to start between Sweden and the surprise of the tournament, Bulgaria. Even though the Swedes would smash the Bulgarians 4-0, it was nonetheless one of the finest achievements of an Eastern European…
-
![]()
TP Mazembe: Ascension and Admonitions
The greatest upset of the last season’s CAF Champions League took place before the group stage even began. Ugandan Premier League champions, Vipers SC, snatched an unlikely victory in a penalty shootout against four-time CAF CL winners, TP Mazembe. Vipers became just the second Ugandan club to ever compete in the competition, the first since KCCA…
-
![]()
Reading FC: A Royal Disaster
Fans will only have to go back ten years to see Reading were a Premier League outfit, albeit only for a year. Their ten years in the EFL since has been tumultuous for the Berkshire-based team. Reading have seen finishes as high as third and seventh, whilst also narrowly missing out on relegation on multiple…
-
![]()
Birmingham’s Struggle for Acceptance: How Birmingham United Is Changing Grassroots Football
If anyone knows me, they know I will spread Birmingham propaganda at any opportunity. For too long this great city has been unnoticed. However recently, its inhabitants have been flying the flag high. With Jude Bellingham representing the West Midlands in Madrid and Jobe doing the business up north in Sunderland, Birmingham is becoming known…
-
![]()
A Lesson in Club Mismanagement: How Hertha Became Berlin’s Second-Best Club
The darling of football writers making lists about unsuccessful capital cities in terms of football, Hertha have always been viewed as a sleeping giant. Considered to be among the best teams in the country in the interwar years, Hertha’s fanbase and catchment area was sliced in half with the construction of the Berlin Wall. Fans…
-
![]()
Leeds United: Making Sense of What Went Wrong in the Club’s Relegation
The last time Leeds United were relegated from England’s top-flight, overspending and ultimately missing out on the Champions League had financially crippled the club. Run-ins with administration, football’s pantomime villain Ken Bates and a second relegation had seen a club dazzling in Europe’s ultimate competitions swap away trips to the San Siro and Mestalla to…
-
![]()
How Football Has Evolved From Other Sports
Football is constantly evolving but the inspiration for these ideas that change the sport still remains relatively unknown. This article will provide insight into where these ideas come from and how the tactical frameworks of other competitive team sports, such as basketball and cricket, are actually exemplified within football. Basketball As a sport…
-
![]()
Vision 2030: Saudi Arabia’s Gamble on Veteran Superstars
With the news from the kingdom just coming in that the state has taken over the country’s big four Al Ahli, Al Ittihad, Al Hilal, and Al Nassr, the question on everybody’s lips is: Will Saudi Arabia be the new footballing powerhouse? Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), currently owns Newcastle United, and despite…
-
![]()
The Betting Scandal That Is Plaguing Brazilian Football
When Brazil legalized sports betting in 2018, a veritable gold rush ensued with big names scrambling to take hold of a market that is on its way to becoming the largest of its type in the world. However, what Jair Bolsonaro’s government failed to do was put regulations in place, whether it be for tax…
